Party Suspicions

 Ask Norma why she's here

---

Nom [sic] has appeared in the lab. Could there be a reply to the mailbox mark? Go ask her.

Booastrum District

(Idle)

Norma: I came to see you!

(Talk to Norma)

Norma: As soon as Brock told me there'd been new progress, I immediately put down my work and ran over!

What kind of work were you doing?

Norma: It's only because Veli insisted... insisted on begging me with tears in her eyes to help her finish a really important job. Anyway, enough about Veli, I've got a surprise for you!

So, do I get a reward?

Norma: Of course there is! You're my assistant, and an essential part of the chip project! A genius like me already planned everything out for you ages ago!

Norma's fingers fly across the Central Computing Hub, tapping away at lightning speed. Just as everyone gets ready for the lab to explode again, her excited voice suddenly rings out.

Norma: Done!

Norma: I've developed a new function for the Central Computing Hub that lets the little Bangboo run more comprehensive code pressure tests — training efficiency just got a serious upgrade! You've gotta try it out!

Mm, don't worry!

Norma: Alright, on to thing number two! Remember that mailbox we tagged together on Beckford Street?

You got a new clue?

Norma: Ah, not yet, I'm afraid.

Mailbox? What mailbox?

Norma: You forgot already? You gotta be kidding me!

Norma: I already sent the lab's Bangboo to stake out the mailbox around the clock, but they've come up empty-handed.

Norma: We can't keep sitting here doing nothing! I'm going to check things out myself! Grab Jake, we're heading out right now!

Jake: Nhu-nha en ne? Ehn-nhu, nhu nha! (Me? Norma, trust me, I've already cut ties with them!)

Jake: Nhe-nha ehn ne, ehn nu na! (My mind's completely focused on the memory-filtering chips — I'm staying in the lab to work!)

You're acting weird.

Jake: Nhe... Ehn-nhu na... (I... I'm perfectly fine...)

How loyal.

Jake: Nhe-nhu, ehn na nhe! (It's passion! My passion for research is what keeps me by Norma's side!)

Norma: Oh? Why's my little Bangboo suddenly so eager to work? Oh! I get it now, Jake, you're actually...

Jake: Nhe-nhu, ehn nhu? (Wh—What?)

Norma: You're actually scared, aren't you? You're scared you'll come into conflict with the other Bangboo while chasing them down!

Norma: Honestly, you're a mass-produced combat Bangboo, why are you always so overly careful? I just don't get it.

Jake: Nhe-nhu, nhe-en na. (Whoa, she saw right through me.)

Norma: I guess it's time to find another reliable Bangboo as backup! It'd be a real pity if suspicious little Bangboo showed up and we couldn't catch them.

Who's reliable Bangboo?

Norma: Eous!

Do you mean Brock?

Norma: Who? Don't make me laugh. If a suspicious Bangboo ran east, he'd run off west. I'm talking about Eous!

Jake: Nhe nhu-ehn na? (So I don't have to go?)

Norma: You're coming! I told you this is a backup plan. Okay, I'll message Eous right now!

Just as you're wondering how Norma plans to contact Eous, she suddenly snatches your communicator and impersonates the video store to lure Eous over.

Eous: Nhe-nha? Ehn-nhu, nha en... (Where are we going to promote videotapes today? Uh... something about this feels off...)

Jake: En-ehn, nhe en nhu, ehn na. (Give it up, buddy, you're not getting away.)

Sorry, Eous...

It was all Norma!

Eous: Ehn-ne, ehn-ne ehn-nu! (I don't really know what's going on, but as long as I'm with you, there's nothing to worry about!)

You're the best, Eous!

Norma: Alright, now that everyone's here, the four of us can head out!

Mhm, let's go!

(Teleports the player to the next step)

Hold up, there's still something I need to take care of.

(Exits dialogue)

 Head to the marked mailbox

---

Time to check out that mark on the mailbox at Beckford Street!

Booastrum District

(Stress Test Scorpse: Data and Collaboorator Loader Expansion Protocol unlocked)

(Approach the mailbox)

Stealth Operation

 Take Jake to the dressing booth

---

The plan is nearly complete. It's time to bring Jake to the dressing booth and get ready to blend in with the Cuppa Moment staff.

Booastrum District

(While en route)

Norma: That's where the dressing room is!

(Approach the dressing booth, only option 1 progresses the story)

Norma: Alright, you're in charge of picking out Jake's outfit!

Jake: En-ehn, nhe na? (What... what look should I go with to face Penn, Manager?)

Butler Outfit, like Penn

Norma: Yeah! That's it, that's the one!

Mesmerize Penn with elegance.

Jake's switched up his look just like you asked. Without a second thought about leaving "Attendant Jake" behind, here comes "Elegant Jake"!

Jake: Nhe-nhu? (Can this... really win Penn over?)

Norma: ...Is this right? Hey, this isn't a joke?

I was just curious. Let me try again.

Under Norma's watchful eye, you pick out a fresh look for Jake.

Intimidate Penn by being cold and ruthless.

Jake's switched up his look just like you asked. Without a second thought about leaving "Attendant Jake" behind, here comes "Ice-Cold Jake"!

Jake: Nhe-nhu! (I feel like I'm full of Strength!)

Norma: But that's completely different from what you had planned, isn't it, honorary assistant?

I'm just testing, lemme try again.

Under Norma's watchful eye, you pick out a fresh look for Jake.

(A short scene plays of Jake entering the booth and exiting in a waiter's outfit)

Norma: Alright, perfect!

Norma: Perfect! We're all set!

All that's left is Jake!

Let's go!

Jake: Ehn-nhu... Ehn-nha! (I think... I can pull this off!)

Norma: What are you nervous about? You're from my Lab, there's nothing you haven't seen before!

Norma: Nhe-nha ehn nhu... (That's true...)

Jake: I've got you covered! Take this!

Norma clips a tiny communicator behind the attendant Jake's long ear.

Norma: This is a communicator. We'll be keeping an eye on your situation the whole time! If you don't know what to say, I can guide you with this!

Jake: Nhe-nhu na ehn...? (How does this sound reassuring and worrying at once...?)

Norma: You should be full of confidence right now! Let's go over the plan one more time!

Norma: You—Jake the Bangboo—are a temp worker at Cuppa Moment, ready to have a heart-to-heart chat with your like-minded coworker Penn!

Don't worry, Jake.

We've all got your back.

Jake: Nhe-nhu nhe-en! Nhe-nhu... Ehn-nha? (We'll win! We'll win... right?)

Eous: Nhe nhu na en! (Everyone's with you!)

Fashion is Boo's Camouflage Achievement Complete

 Have Jake blend in with the Cuppa Moment staff

---

Have Jake blend in with the Cuppa Moment staff and ask Penn for more information.

Booastrum District

(Ongoing)

(ProtagonistProtagonistWise / Belle): Let's go, (‍Jake.Jake.Text for Wise / Jake!Jake!Text for Belle‍)

(Idle)

Zack: Wuh-nha! (Love your work!)

Penn: Nhe-nhu... (I'm so tired...)

(Upon arriving at Cuppa Moment)

Jake: Nhe-nhu, ehn na? (Norma, how should I even say?)

Norma: ...talk about the weather, battery flavors, your favorite bottle cap styles — whatever! Just don't stand there stuttering!

Norma: Yo, snap out of it! Penn's lookin' at you!

Penn: Nhe-nhu na ehn? (You look kinda off?)

Jake: Ehn-nhu... Nha-ehn... Nhu na... (I... I... this is... I...)

Penn: Nhe-nhu, ehn na... Ehn-nhu ehn na? (I get it, you're just burned out... *sigh*, anyone would go crazy working outside.)

Penn lets out another sigh to himself. The dull opening naturally sinks into an unavoidable silence, and the only sound in the air is Foreman Zack's endless "Wuh-ne" lecture droning on.

Jake: Nhu-nha, ehn nhe? (Norma, what else should I say?)

Norma: ...I can't deal with this idiot anymore. Honorary Assistant, take over!

(Duty calls, taking over communications!)

You reach out and take the communicator Norma stuffs into your hands, and the sounds from Cuppa Moment drift into your ears.

(Emergency! Get Jake outta here!)

Norma: What?! Now's not the time to bail!

Jake: Ehn-nhu, nhe nha. Ehn nhu... Nha-nhu? (Don't worry, Manager, I'll say whatever you tell me to. But... how do I actually start the conversation?)

(Bond over roasting the supervisor)

Jake: Nhe-nha, ehn nhu, nhe na. (Ugh, the supervisor's talking nonsense again...)

Penn: Ehn-ne, ehn-nu, ehn-ne ehn-ne... Nhu-ne, ehn-ne?... (You got that right, pal. All this talk about "focusing on the core" and "enabling"... I'm just here making tea and pouring water. What granularity am I even supposed to be aligning with?)

(Ask about your friend directly)

Jake: Ehn-ne ehn-ne? (Where are your friends making it big these days?)

Penn: Ehn-ne? Nhu ne, ehn-ne-ne. (Making it big? Guess they've all gone their separate ways, figuring things out on their own.)

Penn: Nhe nhu... Ehn-nhu nha en, ehn ne nhu. (Thinking about it now... I kind of miss my last part-time job. But it's okay, I'll be reunited with my friends soon enough.)

Your last job was that good?

Then why'd you leave?

Penn: Ehn-nhu, ehn nha. Nhu en na en. (My last job really was good, but the boss was kind of weird and hard to get along with.)

Penn: Ehn-nhu, nhe na-en nhu. (Of course, good pay, easy work, and a great boss... nobody gets all three.)

Norma: The boss is hard to work with? Are they talking about ME?! That's outrageous! This is straight-up slander!!!

Jake: Nhe-nhu, ehn nha ne! (My ears, my ears are gonna explode!)

You quickly hold back the furious Norma beside you and snatch the communicator back before Jake's earpiece blows up.

Penn: Nhe na? Nhu nhe na en? ...Nhe, nhu na? (What's up with you? You've been acting weird since we met... Wait, do I know you from somewhere?)

Penn: Nhe-nhu, en nha en-nhu? (And why are you so interested in my last job anyway?)

We're all attendants, of course we'd look familiar.

Penn: Nhe-nhu en-nha. Nhu-nhe, en-nhe. (You've got a point there. Sorry, working these crazy hours every day, I tend to mix things up sometimes.)

I... I actually want to change jobs.

Penn: Ehn-ne, nhu ne, na-ne, ehn ne-ne, nhu-ne? (Sigh, I wanna quit too, but take it from me, that's just trading one cage for another, you know?)

Penn: Nhu nhe, ehn-nhu, na-nhe nhu! (If it weren't for the employee discount on tea capsules, there's no way I'd take this lousy job!)

Tea capsules?

Penn: Nhe-ehn, nhu na, nhu-en na! (That's right, just thinking about throwing the perfect party gets even the most tired Bangboo pumped up!)

Zack: Wuh-nhe, wuh-nha nhu na! (Penn, what are you guys whispering about over there!)

Penn: Ehn-ne... (Nothing...)

Zack: Nhu-wuh, nhe na, wuh na... (Sigh... Penn, honestly, I'm a little disappointed in you...)

Zack: Wuh-nhu, wuh-na, wuh nhu na. (Back when I brought you on, you were already better than a beginner. I hoped you'd work hard and improve fast once you got here.)

Zack: Wuh-nhe, wuh-nha ne nhu. (In our service squad, it's not enough to just get the job done. You need to be able to think systematically.)

Penn: Nhu-nha... Ehn-nha... (But I'm just a temp worker... and you're just a temp supervisor...)

Zack: Wuh-nhu, nhe-wuh, nhe na! (Even if we're only getting temp worker pay, we still need to see ourselves as part of the bigger family and do our part.)

Zack: Wuh-nhu, nhe-wuh, nhu-nha — Nha nhu? (You know, there are tons of Bangboo out there who wanna join us, like — wait, who are you?)

Jake: Ehn-nhu... Na? Nhu-nhe? (Who am... I again? The Manager?)

I'm another temp worker!

Zack: Wuh-nhu? (For real?)

I'm gonna be your boss someday!

Zack: Wuh-nhu? (How'd we end up with another crazy one?)

Zack: Wuh nhu, nhe-nhu! Wuh-nha! Nhu-wuh! (Wait, wait! The headcount's off! You're not one of our crew!)

Penn: Ehn-ne? Nhu na, ehn-nhe! (You're not an attendant? Wait, you're Jake!)

Jake: Na nhe... ehn-ne ne? (I... I'm Jake?)

I'm here to catch you, Penn!

Penn: Ehn! (Damn it!)

Actually, the name's Jacko.

Penn: Na nhe, ehn-ne! (You can't fool me, Jake!)

Penn springs up quick and straps on a delivery drone with practiced ease.

(Penn escapes the scene via a delivery drone)

Penn: Enneh! (Run!)

 Help Eous catch up to Penn

---

Penn escapes on a drone. Have Eous launch a drone and go after her. [sic]

Booastrum District

(Ongoing)

(ProtagonistProtagonistWise / Belle): Look, Eous, a drone!

 Catch up to the fleeing Penn

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Hack into the drone to help Eous catch up to the fleeing Penn.

Booastrum District

(After hijacking the drone)

Eous: Ehn-na, ehn-na, ehn-na! (Wahoo! Here I come!)

Norma: He's got nowhere to go!

Norma: Good job, Eous!

 Ask Penn about the party

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With no way to escape, Penn removes the drone. It's time to ask him about the party.

Booastrum District

(Talk to Penn)

Norma: Let me see... where are the little Bangboo trying to escape? Ah, there you are! No way out for you now, huh?

Penn: Ehn ne, nhu ne... (Looks like I got caught...)

Norma: Flawless capture mission! all [sic] thanks to Eous! Here, use these to buy some cache-clearing capsules!

Eous: Ehn ne! Nhu-ne, ehn ne-ne! (Yay! Thank you, Norma!)

Norma: Oh yeah! On your way back, tell Jake to stay put in the lab and work — no slacking off!

Eous: Ehn-ne ehn-ne! (Leave it to me!)

Eous: Ehn-ne, nhe ne! (See you at home, (‍WiseWiseText for Wise / BelleBelleText for Belle‍)!)

See you at home, Eous!

Eous clutches his hard-earned reward with joy and bounces off with a spring in his step.

Lost Signal

 Look for Bangboo Carter

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Penn is worried about his friend Carter, who has been out of contact. Go to the port outpost and look for her together!

Booastrum District

(Ongoing)

Norma: Over there! Darn it, there's something wrong with Carter!

(Idle)

Carter: %*#!% (Bottle caps...! Bottle caps...!)

Nosy Bangboo: Nhu-nha? (What's going on here?)

Raging Bangboo: Nha-ehn! (No sleeping here!)

(Approach Carter)

Nosy Bangboo: Nhu-nha, ehn ne? (Why's this guy been lying here forever, glowing all weird like that?)

Raging Bangboo: Ehn ne, nhu-ne, ehn ne-ne! (Whatever the deal is, she's wearing an ESD badge, so this has gotta be another one of Norma's weird experiments!)

Carter: %*#!% (Bottle caps...! Bottle caps...!)

Raging Bangboo: Ehn ne, nhu-ne? Ehn ne? (You're already that messed up, and they're still thinking about bottle caps? What's so great about that stuff from down below anyway?)

Raging Bangboo: Ehn ne, nhu-ne, ehn-ne ehn-ne! (It's all because those people keep pushing for openness and waving every merchant caravan through, that's why we're stuck inspecting so many packages!)

Nosy Bangboo: Na-ne na-ne, ehn-ne! (Ugh, overtime again! All because of them!)

Nosy Bangboo: Ehn-ne ehn-ne? Nhu ne-ne? (What are we supposed to do with her? Should we contact her friends to come get her?)

Carter: %*#!% (Bottle caps...! Bottle caps...!)

Raging Bangboo: Na-ne na-ne! (Get those bottle caps away from her first!)

After taking Carter's bottle caps, the two Bangboo swagger off proudly. Beside them, Norma, who has clearly been barely holding herself back, immediately breaks free and excitedly jumps up.

Norma: That's going too far!

Norma: If you hadn't been holding me back, I'd have rushed over there and torn them into spare parts for a display case already! The exhibit label would've read: "Black-Hearted Bad Bangboo"!

Fixing Carter comes first.

Better play it safe.

Penn: Na-ne, ehn ne-ne! (Right! I think the Manager makes a good point!)

Norma: This grudge is officially logged! First we fix Carter, then we "fix" them!

Fix Carter

 Repair Carter's code glitches.

---

At the port outpost, Carter, whose bottle caps were stolen, seems to be suffering from code glitches. Quickly enter the data space and repair her!

Booastrum District

(Use Universal Terminal Access on Carter)

(Enter combat)

Recommended: Lv. 15	Ally initial Energy increases by 100
Enemies	Penguinboo Penguinboo Electroboo Electroboo Devilboo Devilboo
Rewards	Genius's Inspirational Special 2

(After winning the battle)

Urban Legend

 Chat with Norma about what's on her mind

---

Norma let Carter and Penn go. Ask her about her next step.

Booastrum District

(Idle)

Norma: They run so slow.

(Talk to Norma)

Norma: Looks like you got a lotta questions, huh?

You actually let them leave...

Norma: I can do whatever I want. Besides, it's not like I'm kicking them out of the lab for good. Once they finish their task, they'll still come back to work.

Why'd you change your mind?

Norma: I haven't changed one bit. I'm a genius, and a stubborn one at that! As soon as they finish their dull little errands, they're sure to come back and continue the memory-filtering chip project.

Norma: The party was only a spur-of-the-moment idea from my little Bangboo. Besides... the improved chip design still isn't finished, so they can't stop thinking about it. We need to pull ourselves together and finish it as soon as possible!

We still need more Bangboo support.

With just us, there's no way we'll get this done quickly.

Norma: Carter mentioned the legend of the ghost bus, right? If we follow that lead, who knows, we might find even more Bangboo!

Ghost bus?

Norma: It's a super popular urban legend! Everyone says that bus is packed full of Ahrimans!

Norma: If you feel a tap on your shoulder, maybe just play it cool and act like you're an innocent little Bangboo. So, what do you say — scared yet?

It's just a legend, I believe in science.

Norma: Oh! Not bad, just what I'd expect from my assistant!

Sounds scary, count me out.

Norma: No way! If you bail on me now, I'll haunt the windows outside Amber Hall every day pretending to be a ghost!

Norma: The ghost bus only departs after midnight, according to the legend. So let's meet at the stop tonight after midnight! And don't you dare bail on me!

Norma: Oh, right. If you're too scared to sleep, why not head back to the lab and work on improving my little Bangboo' code stability while repairing the Central Computing Hub? Anyway, see you after midnight!

See you around midnight, Norma.

 Upgrade Central Computing Hub Plan to Phase 6

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Agreed with Norma to investigate the ghost bus leads together. Before that, go repair the Central Computing Hub.

Booastrum District

(Completing this step automatically starts the next commission - Troubles of the Genius Girl)